The End.

It's been a fun, if somewhat sporadic adventure dudes. But I've really struggled to find the motivation to post here. Once you hit a break it seems almost impossible to start up again in the same place. I won't be taking this blog down so you can still get the peanut free peanut butter cookie recipe and the most popular version of my Christmas cake so far .

You can find my new adventures and recipes here. (I've got interesting plans for this years Christmas cake.) A fresh slate is far less daunting on the whole.

Minnie xox

We moved!

New house, new village, new year-ish. Gosh it's been crazy. Getting the internet up and running seems to have taken an age in and of itself. But we got there in then end.

dreamy stock photo of jetty for interest. Also home sick.

Adjusting to a smaller kitchen hasn't been as hard as I'd feared. But I'm doing slightly mad things to make the most of my worktop space. Like switching from tea bags to tea leaves (thus swapping out the large jar on the top for a little tin in the cupboard.) And having a dishwasher? Bliss. Utterly amazing. And I cannot put words to the excitement I feel at having a workable usable garden space again.

So onto things I've been enjoying/falling in love with/aspiring to: 

• These sandals that are at least 50% embroidered blue bird. Love. I wanted them last year and I'm saving up for them this year. I'm currently sewing a dress they'd be perfect with. 
• I'm doing the popsugar reading challenge for 2016, but I think any sort of "list it then read it" would work. I'm so bad at just falling back to old favourites and terrible romances. And it's always nice to aspire to something achievable. March is a nice time to have another look at your goals for 2016 too.
• The pool. It's become my go to reading at the gym. Distracts from the monotony beautifully. Smart, articulate reads on a massive wide range of things. 
• This No. 7 lip crayon is amazing. It's my go to for work staple (where my standard mac Ruby Woo just wouldn't be appropriate.) I cannot for the life of me remember what colour I have. It doesn't last terribly long but it's comfortable and not drab.

(I was not paid to advertise any of these things I just really like them, and I think you might too?)

Minnie xoxo

Summer Never Came To Scotland

I think we got maybe ten days of proper sunshine? Which isn't too surprising as we had snow at the end of April. Still I feel like I've wasted the lion's share of my free time. So here's to making plans and doing a full on Pollyanna and just getting on with the business of making the most of it.

This is going to mean some serious embracing of my wellies and keeping on top of my vitamin c intake to stave off the sniffles. I live in a gorgeous part of the world and I really need to make more of an effort to get out and about. And knitting like a demon. I suck at being a selfish knitter, I hardly ever make anything for myself. That's a balance that needs a bit of work. And I've frankly negleted my sewing.

Hiatus

So if you ever come across any blogging advice ever it's always along the line of "don't mention a gap in posting!" Well I'm just a crazy rule breaker or something. Anyway I've been sick. So I've stepped away from my half arsed posting while I work on getting better and we're on the home stretch, hurrah!

Gallbladders might be dicks but they can be removed, hurrah for modern medicine and keyhole surgery.

Oh God She's Talking About Christmas Already

Yes I am, I'm sorry. No I'm not. Or maybe I'm not sure. Still the last few days of September is the time to start really thinking about it.

More regular readers will be familiar with my Christmas cake. It's part obsession part tradition and for me it really marks the run to the festive season. I suspect it's the weekly feeding (rum, so much rum) and inevitable naming of at least one of the cakes. I also sort of feel like the making of Christmas cake legitimises the rest of the Christmas prep. Though as I type a few of my friends have already bought all their gifts. I am in awe of them. Seriously way to over achieve folks. I was feeling really smug about last year's tree being in a pot out in the garden looking even greener and lusher than it did last year. Oh well....


So it's time to break out a note book, spread sheet or the back of an envelope and write down what needs to be done, what you want to make, what needs to be bought etc. Then have a cup of tea and a breather. Now cull the list, while mittens for all the children you know is a lovely idea I suspect the reality would be pulling a Yarn Harlot (sorry Steph you are magic but I am not so dedicated) and knitting like a mad bastard on Christmas eve when you could be doing something with everyone you love like going out on a traipse to looks at all the Christmas lights or midnight mass or you know just curling up on the sofa and drinking your body weight in hot chocolate. The whole point of this planning exercise is to minimise last minute madness so you can actually enjoy the holiday rather than implode from stress. There's also a money saving aspect to this which is also rather handy.

So I figure out:

1. Who I'm knitting/sewing for
2. Who I'm baking for
3. Who gets bought gifts (pretty much just the kids on my list)
4. If Christmas cards are being sent this year (a first class stamp will be 62p by Christmas. Yikes!)
5. What sort of state are the Christmas decorations in. Does anything need updated, repaired or replaced? Do I want to add anything?
6. Will we be entertaining? what needs doing there? Recipe testing, spare room in need of a bit of tlc?

And then I cull the excess, prioritize and work my way through my list.

So what does your list look like? Spotted any cute patterns or tutorials you'll be using? What's your favourite Christmas tradition? Yes I tottally am prodding you all for ideas. So please spill!

Minnie xoxo


p.s. Christmas cards- are you doing them?

Indy Ref Count Down

Well folks tomorrow is the day we all go to the polls. (If you live in Scotland anyway.) What ever the result I think most people will agree it'll change the UK as we know it regardless.

Are you outside of Scotland? What do you think? Do you even know that Scotland is going to the polls? Will you be paying much attention to the count?

SCOTS! Are you staying up to mark the count? Planning to go to any street parties if your preferred result is the one that comes? Or are you one of the few people who is planning on not voting?

I am voting, I am going to a count party tomorrow night and I'm making a selection of themed edible goodies. Including jelly (jello), because really is there a better excuse for layered jelly?

Progress, Thought and Things.

So my posting has been pretty sparse, 2014 has been a pretty rough year here between one thing and another the blog has had to take a massive step back in my priorities. Rather unfortunate but there you go. Can't be helped.

Anyway I'm now in a place where I can dedicate time and post interesting things. Oh how very exciting. We're zooming right into autumn, hell it's nearly time to start thinking about Christmas cake again. I know right? Feels like this year has zoomed past. The independence referendum is very nearly upon us. I'm voting yes, in case you're wondering, but you know if you are in Scotland and your decision is an informed educated on I'm just glad you are choosing to vote.

Whee! So changes a coming!

Minnie xoxo

Peanut Free Peanut Butter Cookies! Wait... What?

Today we're (I say we, I mean Bloke) racing, this calls for cookies. Standing on the side lines being loud and supportive is hard work you know. Because lets be honest here I'll probably eat way more than Bloke. Sorry Bloke. Anyway sport and peanut butter are a classic combination. peanut butter is fab it's high in protein, energy and other good stuff, alas its also death in a jar for me. But thankfully some wonderful people invented Wowbutter which is just like peanut butter in every way except that it's never so much as seen a peanut in it's life. I've sung it's praises before here.

And do you know what I like even more than cookies that don't kill me? Cookies that aren't murderous in nature and are super easy to make. I don't think I'll ever post a simpler recipe. It doesn't feel like a recipie at all really. There are loads of these floating about the internet  but i can confirm that they work and they work very well with wowbutter.

All you need is:

• A cup of sugar
• A cup of peanut butter
• an egg
• a teaspoon of vanilla 

Method:
Beat together in a bowl, spoon onto a greased tin, press down with a fork to create that Nutter Butter style pattern. These will grow in the baking so do place with plenty of space.

Just pop them into a preheated oven at 175°C, 350°F or gas mark 4 for 11 to 12 minutes. They will like any good cookie be quite soft when they come put but harden as they cool. Lovely!

 Store in an airtight container. If they last that long. I can make no guarantees about how long anyone can leave these alone. Good thing they're so easy to make eh?

Minnie xoxo

The Weekend Is Shaping Up

And rather nicely too I might say. I rather foolishly decided to cope with the sheer expense involved with graduation by, uhh, spending more money. Don't judge me it made sense at the time. And my haul is pretty damn modest for all my hand wringing guilt.

Can ginger people wear maroon? I hope so. I'm not often a fan of ladies wear from Primark because I am way way too tall for 90% of what they sell. But this little beauty is nice and long and was only £6. Worth the madness of Primark on a Saturday wouldn't you say?

If all else fails I can do a rocking Ginny Weasley impression. I am a grown up adult lady I swear.

Remember those kilt hose I linked in the last post? My other splurge this weekend was picking up the yarn for them. Twice as much as is recommended because dude has massive cyclist's legs.

It's the regia 6ply sock wool in anthracite marl marked as farbe 00522 on the band. I picked up four of the 150g balls in the hope that gross overestimation will be the safest option. FOUR. That's 1500 meters. One of the balls is in a different dye lot so it's not quite so safe as I'd like but I shouldn't, in theory, need it for the kilt hoes. She says with the false hope of denial seeping away rather quickly through her toes. It'll be fine right? Just nod and smile please. And hold my hand if this ever gets to the holding my knitting while weeping stage? Thank you, you're brillaint.

What else have I been up to? 

More sock knitting. 

It's regia wool I think, it's been knocking about my stash so long it's long lost it's label band. The fancy sheep holding it all safe are from clover. They are the best point protectors ever. I don't think these will be particularly pretty socks but they should be pretty hard wearing which always good.

Tomorrow Bloke is racing, first road trip in the new (to us) car. So today I'm doing a bunch of cooking and baking. Racing is hard work, and so is being the dorky wife armed with a camera. Or maybe I just eat when I'm nervous? Yeah. Still Much food is required. This might as well be an ode to pasta salad. I don't care what anyone says about paleo you'll have to rip the carbs from my cold dead hands.

Other things I've been loving this week are:

Why meal planning isn't just for boring bitches from Mrs thrifty.

These high waisted tall legging from Asos.  Because I have high hopes for leggings I can bend over in without them riding down.

Is moving to the suburbs 'selling out'?  Even at 26 I feel a bit weird considering the notion of 'selling out' but I grew up rural so moving to the wee village we're in wasn't much of a hardship. And our rent money translates to a much bigger space than we could ever afford in the city.

What have you all been up to? What's your favourite road trip food?

Minnie xoxo

Coffee is magical and tea is amazing.

So it's been a while. I got super sick, turns out viral bugs can do a number on you in adulthood just as much as they did when you're four. That wasn't the most enjoyable lesson I've ever learnt. Really grateful to the Scottish NHS for taking such good care of me though, did you know that even prescriptions are free for every one in Scotland? It's fab, especially when you have to go through a bunch of trial and error to find something that works without making you feel worse.

I spent most of my time in bed daydreaming about food and getting angry about stuff on twitter. I think I made a lot of really grumpy noises about people needing some serious perspective. Perpetrators of the hateful nonsense mostly involved UKIP, I don't care about your reasons but you if you want to vote for these racist, homophobic, sexist wankers we can't be pals any more. Oh and Donald Trump, dude Scotland is big on using it's renewable energy resources. If you don't like how windmills look STOP BUYING HOTELS HERE. And stop trying to bluster and bully, that nonsense doesn't fly here. There was much more getting me grumpy, probably best not to dwell least I come across as a proper mental.

Food has been a major excitement, now what I'm all better and can yanno actually face the stuff. I really missed tuna, which is weird because I don't eat the stuff all that often. Turns out a tuna mayo roll and a cup of tea can be the best thing in the world. See also pasta salad, curry, pizza, salad and er everything else. Food is just amazing. So is tea and coffee is frankly a magical wonder substance.

I have grand plans for this weekend, we've finally got some planting done in the garden. It's a little late but eh, no harm in seeing what happens eh? I also have a bunch of sewing to get done. The warm weather has totally crept up on me and I feel like I've got nothing to wear. Who knew that a few weeks in bed could totally screw with your sense of the season? Anyway they fabric stash is getting a raid and some long overdue mending needs to happen too. 

I have been knitting up a storm recently, mostly socks but Bloke's latest request has been a pair of kilt hose. These kilt hose. I'm actually pretty excited by the prospect, but his massive cyclists legs do have me a little concerned when it comes to the yarn yardage and the shaping. Still maths is fun right? Er yeah...

Anyway it's brilliant to be back and well enough to post, I've really missed blogging.  What have you guys been up to? What did I miss?

Minnie xoxo

The Common Cold

I'm doing a pretty rocking impression of a hag-fish, all sniffly and snottery (attractive, I know.) Right now there isn't enough tea in the world to make me feel better and to top it off the weather has been utterly fab today. Gorgeous sunny day, warm enough to not require a coat even if it did rain a little. So the most I got to see of it was when we went out to run of errands.

I snapped this shot of the Helix kelpies coming back from Falkirk with Bloke. I love how mad Scottish weather can be mild, sunny, bright but with rain and hail.

Any cold remedies you swear by? Give me all your knowledge please, else this cold might ruin my week.

Minnie xoxo

Things I fell in love with in February

February was all about new things, which was rather nice given the dreary as hell weather. The winter has been super mild with regards to temperature but made up for it by being windy and wet as hell. Blergh.

Pretty much the perfect time of year to get stuff done, I finally got an eye test. Yeah way over due and yeah I really needed to get a new prescription. Pretty much the perfect excuse to update my frames too.

 

Tired? Check. Full of the cold? Check. Well excited over new glasses? Yup! They are the coco loco frames in black from Glasses Direct. Love them, and I love glasses direct. Well made glasses for a fraction of the cost of the high street. The quality is much better than the cheap glasses I've bought before from well know high street opticians. In Scotland everyone is entitled to an eye test on the NHS every two years, so I don't feel to guilty about not buying anything from my optician. Not that I could afford to right now anyway. Glasses direct seem to have constant offers on and I managed to get a new pair of glasses and subscription sunglasses for less than it would have been to buy the cheapest pair of glasses in the opticians or having my old glasses re-glazed.The service was fast, totally going to use them again.

I have a list or allergies and intolerances about a mile long, as a result not only is my diet pretty restricted but my husband's is too because some things just can't come into the house. One of the thing he really, really misses is peanut butter. Then one of our friends sent me a link to Wowbutter, a peanut butter alternative made from soya beans.

Image courtesy of Wowbutter

I was kind of sceptical at first, but then read a few reviews and ordered three jars from Amazon.co.uk ( the cheapest UK source I could find) and I am so glad I did. This stuff is amazing. Bloke says it tastes just like peanut butter, a slightly more claggy texture if he's being very picky. But spot on. I've made some random friends try it, not telling them what it was which caused some serious confusion till I showed them the jar. It comes in smooth, creamy and crunchy options, but Bloke is all about the crunchy so that's what we got.

The label peels back to reveal peanut safe stickers for lunchboxes etc.

Image courtesy of Wowbutter

Which are really handy because a lot of schools are peanut free or if like me you just really like an excuse to put stickers on things.

It's dairy free, egg free, gluten free and peanut and tree nut free. I've concluded it must be actually magic. It bakes well in cookies, seriously how have I lived without wowbutter choch chip cookies. I made a batch and we wolfed them down in an evening. In short i am in love, with a jar of spread. My life is so exciting, let me tell you...

Other things that have been exciting me:

• Laura over at All The Tall Things has been whipping up some excitement over the soon to launch ASOS tall range. I've been loving some of the preview pieces that are already up on the site and already, but I wait with baited breath for the whole shebang. 
• I love all the recipes over on Budget Bytes but the Oven Roasted Autumn Medley with sausages is my new go to lazy week night dinner. I use whatever we have in- potatoes, red onion, parsnip, carrot and peppers was a hit.
• Fish by Tora Førseth is the perfect hat for Bloke, I cannot wait to cast that baby on.
• My pal Ruth started a blog! She's stylish and fab. And her cat is adorable.
• These perfect bedside unit plans from Ana white.

I'm pretty excited for March even though lent starts scarily soon.
What's been exciting you of late?

Minnie xoxo

Adventures in the almost spring!

Have I mentioned how much I love village life? It's awesome. Yesterday we rocked up to Alva glen, bloke had the day off and we figured we might as well make the most of the bright weather. There used to be a big woollen mill powered by the waters and now it's still a water supply for the area, and gorgeous. And it's a really easy walk which is a bonus if you're a wimp like me.

Yes his hat is inside out. No 1 curr. Derpy selfies ftw.

What's currently on my needles: Jumper redemption

For two years I pretty much ignored some of my knitting. Bloke wanted a jumper, I went on to ravelry and pulled up a selection of patterns - he picked one i wasn't wild about and man that grudging not fussed feeling soon grew to out right hate. Still for two years I'd occasionally pull it out, knit a few rows and then promptly banish it again.

Last week I hit my limit, I frogged the whole thing and cast on Fort. I'm in love, its seriously a pattern I'd consider knitting a couple of times if Bloke likes the finished product. I've been keeping track of my progress in my instagram account because I am a massive weirdo like that (see the photos in the left hand bar? That's what I'm talking about.) Still it's flying off the needles.

I've made a few adjustments, I didn't do the tubular cast on (I'm lazy, I opted for an alternating cable cast on if you're interested) and the body is goign to be a little longer to suit Bloke's proportions. He's over 6 foot tall but has wee short man legs and a long back. I can't wait to get this finished.

Anyone have any patterns they can't wait to cast on? I foresee a woolly void in my life when this is finished.

Minnie xoxo

January Problems

12th night has been, the decorations are all packed away, the tree has been re-potted into a bigger container and is out on the patio.

 

I've always wondered why she's got a star on a string. Is it supposed to be a tail? Or a really fancy tampon?

I'm not a big fan of January. It's a really quite,grey month. The days are getting longer but the weather is still horrendous and February my least favourite month of all looms ahead with promises of gales and endless rain. Blegh. I'm super grateful for the wood stove in this house right now.

How are you all coping with the weathers and the  wake of Yuletide excess?

Minnie xoxo

Resolutions

1. Create more- more sewing, more knitting, more writing and maybe pick up some new skills? Give crochet another go. I only think it's magic. It can't be that hard surely?
2. Be more social! Find a local craft group or look into joining the local SWRI. Be better at keeping game night a regular thing. Actually go to that local pub quiz Bloke's pal's been talking about. So on and so forth. 
3. Send more snail mail! Every one loves receiving mail and it's a really personal way of keeping in touch with friends far and wide. 
4. Speak Gàidhlig more often. It's good for me and it's far better for Bloke's progress learning if he's exposed to it as much as possible. (If you're interested the BBC has wonderful free resources for learners of all levels, but Beag air Bheag is the best for very beginners.)
5. Cut down on the coffee intake. Drink more tea. Tea is lovely. 

I think new years resolutions should be things that make you happy or bring some serious positivity. The days are short and drab enough in January that there's really nothing to be gained from piling on any extra negativity. 

How about you?

Minnie xoxo

Holidays

Wow, the past two months have been crazy. Winding up the semester and getting ready for the holidays it's been pretty hectic. But I managed to get all my Christmas knitting done and then some. Granted my goals weren't particularly lofty. Still an achievement to be proud of.

The Christmas cake was a hit this year again. I covered it in lemon butter cream and royal icing. Tasty. As you can see my cake decorating was pretty minimalist but it's an upgrade from last year when the cake didn't survive long enough to be iced. Progress. (The coal is put on with an edible food safe pen, I have this one.)

We had planned to head up north to the islands to see family for Christmas  but the weather has been so wild the ferries haven't been running. We had a pretty awesome day all the same, Bloke made a MASSIVE roast beef dinner and we had a film marathon. And because Bloke is awesome he got me a new camera for Christmas so this should be the last post with crappy phone pictures. Well probably.

How was your holiday? Ready for the new year?

Minnie xoxo

If You Do Anything Today

Read this post laying down the facts of the picture of Gaelic in Scotland today. It's  brilliant.

Scottish Gaelic is my first language, I went through Gaelic medium education and while I'm married to an English man I speak Gaelic at home. My husband's radio station of choice is BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal.

Causeways and odd road signs another aspect of the gaeldom

This is the time of to-do lists

It's less than two month till Christmas. I know I know it seems like all I've done is talk about Christmas. I need to share more of my life, and I promise I will. But the key to a stress free (or as close as it gets) and affordable holiday is in the planning. You don't want to pay for the holiday with only one month's worth of pay. It's not like the regular bills take the month of December off.


Gifts, decorations, food, cards, it amounts to a lot. Here are the last postage dates for mail from the UK, some of the international airmail ones are very early in December! I'm terrible for missing the postage dates, I think most of the cards I sent didn't arrive until after Christmaslast year. Whoops. We've already missed most of the surface mail dates for this year! Air mail it is then...

Not to mention that November is goign to be super busy what with me finishing up the semester, looking for a job for when I graduate while you know still trying to maintain  bit of a social life. No biggie? It's just about making the most of my time. And planning. Let's not forget tea! Tea is wonderful!

Now I have to get to the doing part of my to-do, are you guys as swamped as I am?

Minnie xoxo

Living Vicariously Through Others

Or even knitting vicariously through others. It's awesome.

Tasha over at By Gum By Golly is having a follow along, sharing the process she goes through fitting and knitting a 1940s knitting pattern. I am still knitting the grey stretch monstrosity for bloke. Mostly because it's really bloody dull and I banish it to the spare room for months on end. I am determined to have it finished before Christmas though. So here's the fancy button and link:

I do love me a red jumper. Alas the hair it is rather ginger these days. Perhaps in a nice shade of blue? Or a nice Kelly green. What ever happens I'm sure it'll look fab. If I ever finsh the one for bloke...

Also I'm never knitting an all rib jumper for my husband that isn't in the round. Just no. At this moment in time I'm refusing to believe I'll have to sew it up. Fairies will come in the night and do it for me right?

Just pat my head and make me tea while I sit here in denial,
Much appreciated
Minnie xoxo